Elevated fecal calprotectin is associated with gut microbial dysbiosis, altered serum markers and clinical outcomes in older individuals

Abstract

Fecal calprotectin is an established marker of gut inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Elevated levels of fecal calprotectin as well as gut microbial dysbiosis have also been observed in other clinical conditions. However, systemic and multi-omics alterations linked to elevated fecal calprotectin in older individuals remain unclear. This study comprehensively investigated the relationship between fecal calprotectin levels, gut microbiome composition, serum inflammation and targeted metabolomics markers, and relevant lifestyle and medical data in a large cohort of older individuals (n = 735; mean age ± SD: 68.7 ± 6.3) from the TREND study. Low (0–50 µg/g; n = 602), moderate (> 50–100 µg/g; n = 64) and high (> 100 µg/g; n = 62) fecal calprotectin groups were stratified. Several pro-inflammatory gut microbial genera were significantly increased and short-chain fatty acid producing genera were decreased in high vs. low calprotectin groups. In serum, IL-17C, CCL19 and the toxic metabolite indoxyl sulfate were increased in high vs. low fecal calprotectin groups. These changes were partially mediated by gut microbiota. Moreover, the high calprotectin group showed increased BMI and more frequent disease prevalence of heart attack and obesity. Our findings contribute to the understanding of fecal calprotectin as a marker of gut dysbiosis and its broader systemic and clinical implications in older individuals.